Your hard shell
by instantkill
Summary: Takes place before DMC4. What if Kyrie never returned his feelings? What if she was married to someone else? What happens to Nero? NeroxOC My first story be nice.


Just to clear things up a bit, his story starts just before DMC4. And also it takes place in an alternate universe where Kyrie has gotten married to another man.

Okay Chapter one rewritten there has been some major changes in the plot and I've tried to fill it out a bit. Tell me what you think.

_~Nero~_

If he ever had a good reason to accept Credos invitation he sure couldn't remember it now. Cocktail party? Man what had he been thinking? His piercing blue eyes scanned the dimly lit garden.

Nero stood leaning against the railing of the balcony a glass of fine Campari in his left hand. His right arm in the cask he always wore in public, concealing his demonic arm. Along with his borrowed suit he looked quite odd. Like the cripple playing dress up, trying to fit in. That's what he thought anyway. At least he ditched the tie, No way he was ever wearing a tie unless it was someone's funeral or something.

He carefully sipped the blood red drink before placing it on top of the balcony railing. A low sigh escaped him, He was thinking about Kyrie, again. Why? Well _aside_ from the fact that he almost always thought of her. Today was special. Today was the first day in almost a year he'd actually seen her. Well gotten a glimpse of her. She had changed quite a lot, her beautiful hair had been cut short and reached just above her shoulders and it looked less radiant than he remembered. And her long dress, white decorated with a thousand yellow and red little flowers. Kyrie wasn't a girl anymore she was a married woman, and.. a mom.  
He had thought he was over this but that was clearly not true.

He didn't know why he'd fallen for her, maybe because she was so innocent. Opposites attract, that's what they say. They also say love will conquer all, and that couldn't be farther from the truth in this case.

But he really didn't have the right to be angry at her, he'd been too late and someone beat him to it. He just couldn't understand how Kyrie had met this Sullivan and dated him without Nero knowing. They were supposed to be friends at the very least. Didn't friends tell each other these sort of things? Nero hadn't known a thing until she was pregnant. PREGNANT. The Kyrie he knew would never even consider having sex before marriage. That would be breaking the wows she'd taken with the order.  
He tried to talk to her, pleaded with her not to go through with the marriage. He told her of his feelings. Every time he told her he loved her she would quietly get up and walk away. The world had gone mad in less than a month.

Finally he gave up, she didn't love him. Not that she ever told him, she was way to gentle to say anything like that. And way to cowardly he now realized. She didn't want him to leave so she fed him with hope so that he would stay. When he left she cried, he'd asked her again if she loved him.  
she didn't answer letting her silence do it for her. His heart finally broke. As he knew it would. If you count out the mind numbing pain it was almost a relief to finally be free.

Most of his time away from the order was spent at Dante's where he'd gotten food (pizza) and a roof over his head in exchange for work, taking on odd demon jobs. Problem was the lack of work. Of course they always managed do scramble up a job or two a week and the rest of the time was spent roaming the town 'looking cool' as Dante put it. Nero would've taken on a real job if any would hire him but his appearance, he was told scared the older folks. If he still had it in him he would have chuckled.

The days weren't so bad he had enough to do to occupy his mind what was far worse were the nights. He would lay awake pondering on what possessed Kyrie to lead him on. What did she gain from hurting him? Or maybe she hadn't realized what an effect her kindness had on his starved soul. Could she have learned the truth about him being part demon, Nero didn't know how she could have but it was possible. When he thought of that he felt sick, how could he even think himself worthy of her. When he was a demon himself. He had no right to judge her.

Thinking like this used to make him want to crawl up and die somewhere, the truth just hurt to much and he couldn't handle it. It still made him sad but he had eventually come to terms with not having her, not loving her anymore. It was better this way. Still that didn't mean he was comfortable seeing her with someone else.

Silently he turned his head towards the clear night sky, He remembered her sunny smile when she saw him watching her earlier. If she thought things could go back to normal she was truly a fool. Irritably he stretched his right hand fingers concealed by the leather glove.

He knew he couldn't hide his…condition forever, when somebody found out. And somebody would find out sooner or later… he didn't want to think about it right now.

"This party sucks."

_~Credo~_

He watched as serving girls in their white order dresses smoothly glided around the room offering drinks and gently flirting with the single men including him though he was too busy to have time for pleasure. The high priest was supposed to make an appearance tonight and everything had to be perfect. Soft music could be heard but only if you concentrated on it, just like it was supposed to be. Background music could never or should never be anything but background music.

"Creedo! There you are." He turned to the sound of his sisters voice. She was led by the arm of her husband.  
"Ah, there you are sister dear. I've been looking for you. Is the baby doing all right?" she was about to answer when she froze. She must have spotted Nero through the window. Credo wasn't surprised, This was the effect Nero usually had on Kyrie. Had she known of his feelings? yes. had she returned them? She said that she didn't and he trusted her, at least with this. Besides Sullivan was a better husband for her by far, he could provide for her and take care of her. He was a man worthy of respect and he treated his sister well.

"why did he come?" her voice was gentle as can be but if you knew Kyrie well you'd know that she was annoyed with something. He wondered why.

"He was invited, as usual but it seems he decided to come for once." Creedo answered carefully watching her reaction.

"My my, isn't he the handsome one." Sullivan watched Neros silhouette through the windows.

"I must say I quite lucky to be the one who won your heart darling." It was obvious he tried to break the tension. Kyrie who seemed to have regained her composure laughed lightly.

"Oh you know you're the man for me." Kyrie said innocently as if she had no idea that Nero had ever been interested of her. Though Credo thought he spotted a hint of guilt on her face.

They laughed lightly at her half joke half-truth.

Credo returned to the original subject though whit a much lighter tone.

"I think this is a step in the right direction for the boy" he smiled faintly.

"Getting your heart broken isn't easy you know." Sullivan agreed, he didn't seem to feel threatened by Neros presence at all. Strange considering the young man could kill him like a fly if he got that idea into his head. Leading the couple towards the bar he thought of Nero, he never did like the boy especially his disrespectful manners.

_CELIA_

She pulled at the bottom of her dress. It was short, not slutty short but it ended a good decimeter above her knees and that was by her standards WAY to short. Besides the it made it almost impossible to hide any weapons on her body though she managed to bring a 45 Wildey gun which was carfully strapped to her thigh and concealed by the light blue fabric of her dress, a small razor like dagger hidden in her hairdo.

Kalev , Dressed up in a black suit looking very formal came up behind her.

"you should wear your hair up like that more often." Her usually curly ruby red hair had been straightened out and was tied up elegantly in a loose bun with thin strands of hair framing her face.

"I don't know, it's itchy and it took forever to fix It." She made sure the small dagger was hidden properly by her hair.

"Well at least I get to see it this one time" forever the flirt. "Cherish the moment" She chuckled getting out of the comfy sneakers she'd wore until now and putting on her white heels.  
"I hate heels" she muttered under her breath struggling to get them on properly.  
"Why?" He chuckled,  
"How am I supposed to protect myself if someone attacks me? I can't fight in these."  
"If someone attacks you, you are to RUN. For your life I might add." Grumpily she turned to the large stone house.. Mansion. It really was huge and packed with people in nice dresses and suits talking courteously to each other about absolutely nothing.

"Oh yeah? I can't even outrun a turtle in these." she muttered making ready to enter.

"Don't worry we'll be fine, just get in there and snoop around some get the key piece and then out." He hooked arms with her as they started walking towards the entrance.

"What?" what key?

"The KEY Celia, to the first circle." he reminded her impatiently.  
He was speaking of Yamato the sword was said to have belonged to Sparda himself. Why would he want to venture into hell anyways?  
"Yeah but it's a sword, besides. it's broken. I really don't see how it would be of any use to the old man." she answered lamely wishing she was at home in her lovely sofa eating chocolate. Kalev used to say that her not being fat was the eighth wonder of the world.

"Don't call him that, it's disrespectful." Yeah whatever Kalev.

The house was nothing like she'd imagined it. From what she heard it was supposed to be a scary place with scary people doing rituals, offering goats to Sparda and what not. she didn't expect it to be so.. well boring. trying to blend in she smiled to a woman with light red hair. The woman smiled back as she passed.  
"We should look around a bit, you take the upper floor, I'll check the basement." Celia looked at him all business again.  
"What if it isn't here?" the chances that the sword was here was not that big. The guy who owned the house wasn't even the leader of the order.. Though the leader would be here at the party. Using the word party loosely.  
Kalev sighed "Then try to gather information about it, remember you are interested in their religion."  
"I'll try" that was all she could promise, infiltrating wasn't really her section. She was more of a head on girl. Slowly he leaned in to her and gave her a light peck on the cheek.  
"Have fun." He smirked as he let go of her arm. She knew Kalev liked to work alone. Sometimes she got the impression he just didn't like her. So much for partnership.

Turns out stairs can be real hard to find. she thought after several minutes just discreetly looking for them. Already she had been stopped at least three times to chat or be flirted with. Clumsily she flirted back though the men did not seem to mind her clumsiness, rather they expected it. Maybe women weren't supposed to flirt in this order and they thought she was bad at it because she hadn't done it before? She had but that was beside the point. Trying to look confident she strode around the room the heels making it slightly difficult to walk but she thought she did well, she didn't fall on her face anyhow. Then finally she found the stairs, they were white and made of stone, as most things seemed to be in the house. Slowly as not to fall down she climbed them. At the top of the stairs she met the man she had hoped she could avoid. Creedo the party host.

"Good evening." His voice was curt and formal but she detected a note of suspicion in his voice. She put on her most confident look on her face.

"Good evening," With these words she bowed slightly. "What a beautiful house, Would you honor me with a tour?" She sounded like an old lady speaking like that.  
"Indeed it is, I would love to but I need to welcome the guests." Her interest in him seemed to calm his suspicion of her. She nodded understandingly. "Perhaps later tonight?" This was all Kalevs doing, if it were up to her they'd assault the place and pull in killing and beating everything in their way. Not dressing her up like a doll and play tea party.  
"Nothing would please me more." He bowed slightly and continued down the stairs. score! With some luck he would tell her all she needed to know about Yamato and its location.  
You my dear Celia NEED some fresh air. "Yeah, air would be nice." She answered herself almost soundlessly. Spotting the door to the Balcony wide open she hurried over. The air was cool against her bare skin and the wind made the floaty blue dress fabric dance around her knees. First when she reached the railing and rested her hands on it she noticed the white haired man with the sling. She watched him tense up.  
"Hey." she greeted as confidently as she could to late realizing her mistake, she should've said good day or evening or night or just about anything but 'hey'. He didn't answer but he did give her a small nod in acknowledgement and she could see his shoulders relaxing a little, had he thought she would attack him?

"What are you doing out here, the party's inside."

"I could ask you the same" his voice surprisingly rough considering he looked about her age.  
"You got me there, I was sneaking around a bit. Checking out the house." She proudly stated, that wasn't even a lie.

"Not from the order I take it?" Amused he looked scanned her frame. Good god he was handsome. Tall and broad with the most perfect face. She forced herself to stop drooling.  
"You can say that again. This… Order seems like such.. Oddballs. No offence" she hurriedly added.

"Oddballs?" She walked over to him but stopped at a respectful distance. Leaning at the railing beside him she answered  
"Yeah, oddballs" she honestly couldn't find a better word for it. Half smiling she turned her head to the stars, they were quite beautiful tonight, well they always were but you didn't always see them.

"What's your name?" she heard him ask. Still enraupted by the sight of the starry sky she answered.

"Celia, what's yours?" it meant heaven, what was heaven anyway, lots of air and space?

"Nero."

SHIT! okay, don't panic! You are supposed to infiltrate this place to gather information Celia not chatting with the best fighters of the order! What was she going to do? Run away that's what! From what she'd heard a girl like her was no match for him. But she couldn't just jump over the railing and flee, that would seem suspicious.

"What's wrong?" Damn! She _was_ panicking!

"ehum..eh. Nothing." she took a deep breath forcing herself not to be a coward. "I.. I just remembered something." luckily her voice sounded steadier.

"Remembered what?" He didn't seem to be buying it.  
"I left the oven on at home?" GOOD JOB Celia now he definitively won't believe anything you say. "Whatever."  
Suddenly she felt bad about lying to him. He seemed like a good enough guy, she didn't want to steal from him but either that or being executed. Still she didn't want to. She was tired of the constant threat of dying.  
"I'm sorry. I was taken by surprise, I've heard a lot about you."  
"Like what?" His voice doubting her.

"About your super mega supreme fighting skills." she told him half-jokingly trying to cheer him up she had actually heard of them and of his out of this world handsomeness.

"Oh yeah? What else have you heard?" He said gesturing with his left arm like his fighting skills was a apparent fact.

"Oh no, I have boosted your ego enough for today." She laughed surprised at how easy it was to talk to him.  
"Oh, you're welcome to boost my ego anytime. It really needs it." She was about to ask him what he meant when they were interrupted by someone walking out on the balcony.

"Celia, it's been a long time."

English is not my first language so if there are any major mistakes spelling or other feel free to tell me.

Also Review :D


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